


It Was Over My Head

by bigred_ashlyn



Category: Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, and is overextending, max is not the best boyfriend and we should acknowledge that, say something, season 2 episode 3 AU, the fight they should've had in 2x03, zoey is still grieving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28916835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigred_ashlyn/pseuds/bigred_ashlyn
Summary: Zoey and Max have a different discussion following Max's heart song in which Zoey doesn't ignore it but rather tells Max exactly what she's feeling and how she feels overextended. Max starts to understand (but not really).
Relationships: Zoey Clarke & Max Richman, Zoey Clarke/Max Richman
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	It Was Over My Head

He had sung yet another heart song. Zoey was even starting to sense when they were coming on. Unfortunately, she had not learned to control her face. But it wasn’t like that mattered because the heart kept singing anyway. 

They were in the living room when Max finally finished, and Zoey had had enough as her fists clenched at her sides. 

“Okay Max, you want to talk? You want me to, oh I don’t know,  _ say something _ ?  _ Fine.  _ How about you find a way to solve your own problems instead of going to me every single time there’s an issue.” 

“I don’t do that,” Max defended, his right hand gesturing as Zoey stepped forward. 

“What about your partnership with Mo? Yes, he is my friend but  _ also  _ it’s  _ not  _ my  _ responsibility  _ to solve everyone’s problems.” 

“Of course not,” he replied, before adding,”but you do have an advantage that I don’t have.” 

Zoey shook her head before letting out a small laugh. “Advantage? You act like it’s this giant insight that improves my life.” 

“Doesn’t it? Would we have even gotten  _ together  _ if it weren’t for your powers?” 

“That isn’t even  _ close  _ to the point. I get alerted to the problems and desires and wishes and fears of  _ everyone  _ around me. It’s so hard to focus, to get the job done that I need to, which just keeps getting  _ harder  _ because I manage to keep getting  _ promoted.  _ Leif sucks at being manager so the team’s almost always unhappy with  _ something.  _ My family is still  _ grieving  _ the loss of my dad.  _ I’m  _ still grieving the lost of my dad-”

There’s a quiet, “I know” that Max whispers after that. 

“It’s like you forget sometimes. And I know I should talk to you more. And communicate better.” 

“Yeah, you should.” 

Zoey sighed, running her right hand through her hair as her mental process continued running through the points ruminating in her head. 

“But  _ you _ -have got to learn how to talk to Mo and solve the problems that occur yourself. Some things can be solved  _ without  _ a heart-song.” 

“It’s just-he’s-I-zero to one hundred all the time and I never know where it comes from.” 

“Then ask. And be patient for an answer,” Zoey hesitates, “and that’s all I’m going to give you because I need to take care of myself for a bit.” 

Zoey smiles. “Yeah, that sounds right. I need to take care of myself before taking care of my family and you and the people at work and Mo.” 

There’s a pause before she finishes her train of thought. “Wow, grief  _ really  _ did a number on me. Well, at least I didn’t have to malfunction and sing out loud before coming to this conclusion this time.” 

Max hesitates before nodding. “So we’re good then?” 

Zoey refrained from yelling  _ seriously?  _ at him and glaring afterwards. 

Instead, she took a deep breath and answered, “for now. But i’m serious about everything i’m saying right now.” 

“Of course. _But-_ ” 

Zoey unclenched her fists and went back to sitting on the couch. “But what?” 

She pulled her knees to her chest and leaned forward into herself. Max scrambled to find the right words. 

"Would we have gotten together? I mean you seemed pretty oblivious to my feelings, and it took your glitch to even _acknowledge_ liking me back." 

“Maybe. But no course of events is certain, Max. And besides I don't really think it matters what got us together,” Zoey answered, shrugging before letting her face rest against her knees. 

She let her eyes close. 

"I think it should have some impact," he paused, "but you're clearly tired from today and probably have been exhausted for a while judging your coffee intake and the bad dreams, so I'm going to go." 

Muffled through the fabric of her pants, she muttered, _"Yeah, you do that."_

She listened for the soft footsteps of his feet leaving. After a few minutes of him standing there, she heard the footsteps along with the unlatching and then latching of her apartment door. And then after, there was finally some peace and quiet. 

It had been a long time since she experienced  _ that.  _


End file.
